Coffee Breaks
by MisunderstoodDreamer7
Summary: A series of one-shots looking at the evolution of the Wizard and Hikari's relationship, all due to coffee. My first HM fanfic, hope you like it! Rating will probably change in later chapters.
1. First Time

**Author's Note:  
Hi all! Wow. So, it's been a long time since I've written anything. Like, a looooonnnggg time. However, I recently started playing my old Harvest Moon: Animal Parade game and all these Wizard/Hikari plot bunnies would just not leave me alone. Hence, we have this story.  
Basically, it's a bunch of loosely connected one-shots centered around the Wizard and Hikari's relationship and how it grows due to coffee. Let me know what you think, and I hope you enjoy! :)**

 **MD7  
**

* * *

It first happened about a week after the Green Bell had been rung. The Wizard sat at his desk, looking over his star charts. There was a light knock at the door and he inwardly groaned. "Come in…" he murmured, loud enough to be heard.

The door opened and he glanced up, expecting one of the usual villagers who had come to get their fortune read. Instead, his eyes met the brown orbs and kind face of Hikari, the newcomer to the island. She also happened to be the chosen 'hero' of the island, as she was the one tasked by the Harvest Goddess with ringing the bells.

Raising an eyebrow in slight surprise, he stared at her standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Yes…?"

She hesitated, before walking fully inside and crossing over to him. He didn't stand up when she reached him, simply continued staring.

"Hey! Um, I just wanted to bring you this, as a sort of thank you for helping me ring the bell." She pulled a cup of hot coffee from her bag, setting it down in front of him. "I would have been completely lost if you hadn't agreed to make the potion and whatnot." she grinned and chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

The Wizard looked at the coffee sitting before him, and then back up to the girl. Why was she doing this? She had already thanked him after the Witch had been restored. He wasn't used to people visiting him for anything other than his services, and he certainly wasn't used to presents.

"Thank you…how did you…know that I…liked coffee?" he asked slowly.

"Oh, I just figured since you were up all the time…and I might have asked around." she flashed him a cheeky grin as she spoke and he looked back at the coffee.

"Oh…well…thanks. Again. It's…nice." he murmured, very much wishing she would leave and he could get back to his text.

Hikari fidgeted awkwardly for a few moments before saying, "Right, well, again, thanks. I guess I'll see you around!" and headed for the door.

The Wizard followed her with his eyes, saying nothing, and watched as she disappeared. He sighed again and turned back to his book. He picked up the cup and took a sip, letting the warmth spread through his body. _What a strange girl…_ he thought, sipping idly at the coffee.

Most of the villagers kept their distance from him, only going to him when they needed something. He was basically the island recluse, apart from the Witch, but he liked it that way. No annoying humans to bother him. But her…she was different. Ever since they had started working together on the potion, he'd noticed that she didn't seem afraid of him. Put off a little at first, definitely, but after a few meetings and exchanges, he had noticed that she didn't seem bothered by his presence.

 _Strange indeed…_ he mused as he turned his attention back to the stars.

* * *

 **So yeah, that's the first chapter! It's pretty short, but it's mostly just to set up the rest of the story. Also, some people might think that the characters are OOC, but keep in mind that these are my interpretations of the characters. I tried to stay as true to the Wizard's nature and characteristics as I could, but yeah, Hikari is my own interpretation, seeing as how she is my character. ;P**


	2. On a Mission

**Here's the next chapter! Let me know what you think! Also, it might be good to point out now, I took some artistic liberties with timing/events in the game. I tried to stay away from most events that are featured in the game for this story, but this one just had to be written. So don't post a review saying "That's not how it happened!" or something along those lines please. I'm aware that it's slightly different. :) Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

 **MD7**

* * *

The next time it happened was a week later, while the Wizard was tearing through his home. _Where is it? Where? I thought I left it on the table…_ he thought anxiously as he rifled through one of his many boxes. His crystal ball had mysteriously gone missing, and without it, he couldn't read the future. It felt like a part of him was missing. Growing ever more worried by the second, he was snapped out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. Already frustrated, he strode over to the door and opened it.

"What?" he snapped, stopping short when he saw who it was. Hikari stood there, surprise evident on her face. "Umm, bad time?" she asked, edging back a little bit.

The Wizard sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Kind of…yes." he muttered, turning and going back inside to continue his search.

"Oh, well I was just stopping by, but if you're busy…" Hikari trailed off, glancing inside at the mess.

The Wizard ignored her at first and started looking through more boxes when an idea struck him.  
"Hikari…" he murmured, glancing over his shoulder at her.

"Yes?" she asked, looking at him in question.

"I need a favor." he stated. "Something of mine has gone missing, and I need you to track it down for me."

Hikari stood there for a moment processing what he'd said, and then spluttered "Wait, what? Why me? I don't even know what I'd be looking for!"

"My crystal ball. It's very important and I need it back. I'd like for you to help me find it."

Hikari huffed and placed her hands on her hips. "Why do I need to find it? It's your stupid ball, go find it yourself."

"Stupid-!" The Wizard forced himself to take a deep breath and ran his hand down his face again. Today was just getting worse and worse. He collected himself and then said as calmly as he could, "You're much more acquainted…with the local towns people…than I am…and therefore it'll be easier…for you to go looking for it…without drawing suspicion."

Hikari sighed and let her hands fall to her sides. "Okay, okay, I'll go look for your ball. Come on, Finn." she motioned to the little sprit by her side.

She walked back out the door and the Wizard felt a sigh of semi-relief leave him. Before he could move though, Hikari poked her head back in and asked, "Any idea where to start? I've already been to Flute Fields this morning and I didn't see it anywhere over there."

"No…no…it wouldn't be in plain sight…" the Wizard muttered, almost to himself. "I would suggest…beginning with the shops in this vicinity…" he said, walking over to her. "Look for any…suspicious behavior…anyone who's acting…weird."

"You mean besides you?" Hikari laughed and flashed him a grin before trotting off down the road. "I'll let you know if I find anything!" she called back, waving as she went.

The Wizard sighed and bowed his head. Maybe asking for her help was not the best idea.

It wasn't until late that night that the Wizard heard knocking on his door again. Praying that it was Hikari with his crystal ball and not another villager, he hurried over to the door. Hikari stood there, slightly out of breath and looking somewhat startled.

"Well? Did you find it?" he asked impatiently. Even going several hours without being able to use his crystal ball had greatly agitated him.

Hikari nodded and gasped out, "Yeah, you'd better come with me." and before he could even ask, she took off, headed down the stairs towards the inn.

"Hikari! Wait-!" he called after her. "Dammit…" he sighed, grabbing his coat and flinging it on before hurrying after her. He saw her brown hair disappear into the inn and raced after her.

He slowed as he got to the door and hesitated slightly before going inside. The Inn should have been closed by now, so at least he didn't have to worry about running into many people. He had expected to at least see the innkeeper or his wife, but instead he was met with an empty lobby.

 _Odd…_ he thought, taking a few steps forward. He glanced around and tried to figure out where Hikari had gone off to. He sighed again and headed towards the door at the back, hoping he wouldn't run into the innkeeper's chatty daughter.

He opened the door and saw Hikari crouched outside one of the doors to the rooms. She had it cracked open and was peeking inside. She glanced back and saw him, and motioned for him to come over. He walked over and looked down at her. She pointed to the crack in the door, motioning with her finger to be quiet. He stepped closer and peeked in, not sure what to expect. There stood Jake, the owner of the Inn, holding the Wizard's crystal ball and staring into its depths as though hypnotized.

The Wizard felt a rush of anger at the man, but subdued it and looked back down at Hikari. "Well?" she mouthed. The Wizard nodded and stepped back. Hikari stood up and opened the door, walking in with the Wizard close behind.

Their appearance startled Jake, and he whipped around and gazed at them, holding the ball possessively. "Wha-what do you want?" he stammered, eyes flicking back and forth between Hikari and the Wizard.

"Jake," Hikari began gently. "That doesn't belong to you. Can't you see it's possessing you? Just let us have it."

The Wizard glanced at Hikari in approval. She was definitely handling this better than he initially would have. He turned his attention back to Jake when the innkeeper shook his head violently and took a few shaky steps backwards.

"No! It's mine, I found it! And with this, I can see exactly what my dear Colleen wants!" he started to chuckle manically, and Hikari opened her mouth to say more, but the Wizard stepped forward.

"Jake." he said calmly. The innkeeper stopped and looked at him, fear evident on his face.

"That belongs to me, and I'd like it back now." the Wizard said quietly. "I appreciate you picking it up for me…but its power is too strong for you. If you continue to use it…you will lose your mind. Besides…do you really think…you need a crystal ball…to know how to make your wife…happy? Just listen to her, talk to her. You can make her happy…on your own." the Wizard held out his hand and looked sternly at Jake. "Please…return it to me."

Both the Wizard and Hikari watched as the haze slowly lifted from Jakes eyes and the color returned to his face. He stumbled a little, and then glanced down at the ball then back up to the Wizard. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I don't know what came over me…" he muttered, handing the crystal ball back to the Wizard. As soon as it was in his hands, the Wizard quickly tucked it safely inside his coat, careful to make sure it wouldn't fall out again.

Jake looked back and forth between the two of them, close to tears, and he murmured, "You're right. I don't need magic and a crystal ball to make Colleen happy…I just need to spend more time with her, talk to her. I've been a horrible husband…" he trailed off, bowing his head.

"Oh, come on Jake, that's not true. Everyone messes up. Don't beat yourself up about it. Just do what you can for Colleen. I know she appreciates it." Hikari said, smiling at the innkeeper. Jake raised his head and gave her a watery smile. "Thank you…both of you."

The Wizard nodded, turned, and strode from the room.

"Uh, hey, wait up!" Hikari stammered after him. She bowed to Jake before turning and following the Wizard out of the inn.

Once they were back in the Wizard's home, the Wizard reverently removed the crystal ball from his coat and placed it on the small table in the middle of the room. "There…" he murmured, relieved to see the bright light it was emitting. He turned to face Hikari, who was watching in awe. "Hikari."

Hikari jumped a little and turned her attention to him. "Sorry, what did you say?"

The Wizard stifled a laugh and smiled a small smile. "Nothing…yet. I wanted to thank you…for helping return this…to me." he said.

Hikari shrugged and smiled at him. "No big deal, happy to help. Even though it did take most of the day…" she muttered to herself.

"As a token…of my appreciation…please feel free…to come use the ball…whenever you feel like it." he said. Hikari looked up in surprise. "I can use the crystal ball…to peer into people's hearts…so if there is a certain someone…you'd like to know more about…".

Hikari blushed and turned her head away, chuckling slightly. "What makes you think I'd be interested in stuff like that?"

The Wizard looked at her in surprise. Weren't all humans interested in love? "Are you saying…you're not?" he questioned.

"No! I mean, I'm not saying I'm not interested in anybody, I mean, I'm not saying I am…I just…" Hikari stammered and then looked down at the floor shuffling her feet awkwardly. The Wizard watched in mild amusement, until she lifted her head again, meeting his gaze steadily. "I appreciate the offer, but I don't know how much good it would do me. I don't think his heart can be read by your crystal ball, and even if it could, I think I'd rather find out about it myself, if you know what I mean?"

The Wizard furrowed his brow and looked at the usually bold young farmer. What on earth did she mean by that? His crystal ball was powerful. There were very few people whose hearts he was unable to gaze into. He shook his head and decided not to dwell on it. Humans were indeed weird. "All right…if that is your wish…".

Hikari smiled. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I might use your services on special occasions, like if someone's birthday is coming up, but otherwise, I don't think I'll need it."

The Wizard nodded, and watched as the girl said her goodbyes and exited his house once again. He turned his attention back to his crystal ball and jumped when he heard the door open again and Hikari call out. "Oh, hey! I almost forgot!".

She walked back inside and crossed over to him, rummaging in her back for something. Once she reached him, she pulled out a cup of coffee and handed it to him. "Sorry, it's gone cold now, but I meant to give it to you this morning. That's why I stopped by, but it completely slipped my mind after you asked me about the ball."

The Wizard stared at the cup in his hands. She had come here this morning to give him a gift again? He was taken aback to say the least.

"Thank you, Hikari…that's very…thoughtful." he gazed up into her brown eyes and saw her smiling at him.

"Well at least now you have something to keep you awake while you play with your crystal ball." she teased, grinning at him before crossing back to the door and exiting into the night. The Wizard watched her go, still clutching the cup in his hands. Of all the villagers, she was by far the strangest. Perhaps though, he could come to like this one.


	3. Morning, Noon, and Night

**Hello! Hope you enjoy this next chapter! I couldn't really figure out what direction I wanted to go with this, so it turned into a mixture of ramblings/flashbacks. Hopefully it comes across all right!**

 **MD7**

* * *

The Wizard sat at his desk, trying desperately to focus on the charts before him. All he wanted was to plan out tonight's watching and get an idea of where to look. However, a certain brown-eyed farmer was preventing him from getting much done. Lately, Hikari had been on his mind rather often. True, he did see her almost every day, but he saw many of the villagers as they went about their day.

 _Not like her, though._ his mind whispered. Sighing in frustration, he ran a hand through his silver hair and leaned back.

It had become a daily thing now, her bringing him coffee. Though the time of day varied now and then, she was consistently there, holding a hot cup of coffee.

Why he continued to accept these gifts was beyond him. He could make his own coffee at home, and he often did multiple times a day, but the coffee Hikari brought always seemed to taste better than his own for some reason. Which was strange because there was nothing special about it, it was normally just the usual Ocarina Inn coffee. Nonetheless, the Wizard had come to look forward to Hikari's daily visits and the coffee she brought.

He allowed himself a small smile as he remembered one particular time when she had shown up at his door very early one morning. Well, early for him, anyway.

He had been just about to fall asleep after having been up all night watching the stars when he heard a knock at the door. Dragging himself out of bed, he had shuffled over to the door and opened it. Hikari stood there, the morning sun glinting off her red-brown hair, and a warm smile on her face.

"Morning, Wizard!" she said.

"Hikari?" he questioned, rubbing his eyes and gazing at her. "What're you…doing here?"

"Bringing your coffee, silly! I stopped by the town first today, so that's why it's a little early.

"The Wizard had learned by this point that Hikari made it a point to make it around the entire island every day, greeting the people. Normally the town was last on her stop, so he was surprised to see her. _I guess she had some business to attend to today…_ he reasoned.

"Ah…well, thank you…I appreciate it." he mumbled, stifling a yawn. Hikari raised an eyebrow at him. "Did I wake you up?"

The Wizard shrugged. "A little…but it's okay…I don't mind…".

Hikari smiled apologetically and handed him the hot cup. "Sorry. I guess I forgot that you're not really a morning person." she teased. "At least this way you'll already have some coffee ready for when you wake up!"

The Wizard nodded and gave her a small smile. Hikari beamed and trotted off, waving back at him as she went. He had watched her go, then closed the door and walked back over to his bed. He had set the cup down and crawled back into bed, smiling at the knowledge that Hikari's coffee would be waiting for him when he awoke.

Another time it wasn't until late at night that she showed up.

He had unconsciously been waiting for her all day, and once the sun had set, he figured she just wouldn't be coming by that day. He had busied himself with the stars and his telescope, and was lost in his own little world until a soft knock on the door jolted him out of his work.

He glanced at the clock on the desk. It was almost 11:30. The only people still out at this time of night were the bar patrons, and there was no reason for them to come bother him now. He had walked over to the door and cracked it open to peer through. There stood Hikari, grinning sheepishly and holding a steaming cup of coffee in her hands.

"Hikari? What…?" he questioned as he opened the door fully and allowed her inside.

"Hey. Sorry, I'm not disturbing you, am I?" she asked as she stepped through the door and turned to face him.

"No…I was just…star gazing." he murmured, gesturing to the telescope. "Why are you here…so late?"

Hikari chuckled a little and held up the coffee. "I was super busy running errands around the island all day and realized I never brought over any coffee. I mean, I know you can make your own, but I just wanted to stop by and see you." she blushed slightly and ducked her head. "And bring you coffee, of course…at 11:30 at night." she finished lamely, looking down and rubbing the back of her neck.

The Wizard smiled and crossed over to her, taking the cup from her. "Thank you. This way…I have something…to keep me awake…to look at…the stars." he said, taking a small sip from the cup.

 _How had she even managed to get this?_ he wondered. The Inn had been closed for a while at this point. _Oh well, it's hot and tastes delicious as usual._ He took another sip and closed his eyes as the warm liquid filled him with new energy.

He opened them to see Hikari staring at him expectantly, almost bouncing with anticipation. "Is everything…all right?" he asked, eyeing her.

"Do you like it? Is it good?" she asked rapidly.

The Wizard raised an eyebrow at her and simply nodded, perplexed by her strange behavior.

"Oh, good! I'm glad. I was worried it was going to taste awful." she confessed, relaxing a little and smiling at him.

"Why? Did they do…something different…to it…at the Inn?"

Hikari laughed and shook her head at him. "No, I didn't get it from the Inn this time. I made it." she beamed proudly as she said the last part, almost glowing with satisfaction.

Wizard stared at her, mouth slightly ajar, and then glanced down at the cup in his hands. _She made this? From scratch? Just for me?_

"It was so late by the time that I was done with everything, the Inn was closed and I had some good coffee beans, so I figured, why not." she explained, shrugging her shoulders.

The Wizard just continued to stare at her, mouth open and a bewildered look on his face. Hikari laughed again and walked over to him, gently putting her hand under his chin and closing his mouth. "I'll take your speechlessness as a sign of gratitude."

Her hand on his skin made him shiver, and he felt a flush rise to his cheeks. He could only nod his head in affirmation, and all too soon the hand was gone.

"Okay, well I'm exhausted, so I guess I'll see you later, Wizard!" she said, grabbing her bag and turning towards the door. Just as she was about to step back into the night, he found his voice and called out. She turned and looked at him, brown eyes dancing from the light in his house. "Thank you…it's delicious." he gave her a small smile and she had smiled back.

Of course, normally she arrived sometime during the afternoon. Most people would find drinking coffee in the middle of the day odd, but it was normal for the Wizard, and Hikari seemed to accept this and cater to it. Apart from those few occasions, she was always at his door in the afternoon, cup in hand.

* * *

 **Lame ending. I couldn't figure out how to end this one, so I just settled on short and sweet. Idk, maybe something will hit me and I'll go back in and edit it, but until then, that's what I got. :/  
Hope you liked it!  
**


	4. What is This Feeling?

**Hope you like this one. Certain parts of it were a little difficult to get down, so hopefully it flows smoothly.**

 **MD7**

* * *

It first began when the Wizard glanced out of his window and noticed Hikari over in the Mayor's garden, talking with Gill, the Mayor's son. They laughed about something and then Hikari reached into her bag and pulled out some sort of dish. Gill's face had light up as he accepted the gift and the Wizard could practically see hearts floating above his head.

He had felt something deep within his chest stir at that. He frowned and walked away from the window, trying to figure out why he was suddenly feeling unhappy. Something about seeing Hikari giving the blonde man a present had turned his usually calm mood into turmoil. But why? He knew Hikari gave gifts to many of the islanders, and she stopped by everyday to bring him coffee, so why was this common act making him feel so strange?

He shook his head and tried to ignore the feeling, focusing instead on the crystal ball before him. However, the nagging feeling kept persisting, and it wasn't until Hikari knocked on his door, bringing him his daily coffee, that he was able to shake it. 

The feeling didn't return for some time, and he was able to put it from his mind and forget about it in favor of more pressing matters. However it returned full force when gossip started to spread throughout the town that Hikari and the chef from the bar, Chase, had gone on a date. Wizard first heard these murmurs while he was observing some of the townspeople through his crystal ball.

"Did you hear? Chase actually got Hikari to go on a date with him!" Selena had gushed to Kathy.

"Oh, I know! I'm surprised she said yes. Poor Maya…she's not going to be happy when she hears about it."

The Wizard had almost dropped the ball at that. He shook his head, the old, strange feeling appearing again. _A date? Hikari went on a date?_

He shook his head again, deciding to dismiss it as two gossip-hungry girls taking things out of context. As news of the date kept popping up though, he was finally forced to accept that it was true. Hikari had gone on a date with Chase and from what he heard, it had turned out well. 

The next few days were weird for the Wizard. The feeling he had initially felt at seeing Hikari give Gill the gift had returned and intensified with the news of her date, and this time it didn't go away. He couldn't concentrate on the stars, couldn't sleep, and he constantly paced around his house trying to pinpoint what he was feeling and how to get rid of it.

It was about a day or so after the Wizard had heard of the date that Hikari showed up. She stood there, grinning with a cup of coffee in hand as usual. Normally, the Wizard would have been happy to see her, but all he felt now was a pang in his chest to accompany the feeling that had taken root.

"Oh, Hikari…" he muttered, looking away from her.

"Hey, Wiz! Your coffee, as normal." she said, smiling as she handed it over to him.

"Yes…thank you…" he said, taking it and looking anywhere but at Hikari's face. "Well…I guess if that's all…" he made to close the door, but Hikari stopped him, poking her head around to look at him.

"Umm, actually, I need you to do something for me. Is it okay if I come in?"

The Wizard closed his eyes and internally sighed. As much as he enjoyed spending time with her, he really didn't need to right now. But how could he refuse?

"Oh…of course. Come in…" he trailed off, stepping aside and allowing her to enter. She smiled again and walked past him over to the table where his crystal ball set. She turned back to him and chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head. "Thing is, I actually need to use your crystal ball…" she said, smiling sheepishly.

He raised his eyebrows. When she had helped him recover the ball, he'd offered his services, true, but she had told him that she didn't think she'd need to use it. Had something changed since then?

 _Well she has a boyfriend now…_ his mind whispered, and he felt his chest constrict and the feeling rage within him. Of course. She needed to read Chase's heart, since they obviously had feelings for each other.

He frowned and nodded tersely, setting down the coffee on his way over to the table.

"I understand…" he muttered, placing his hands on the crystal and feeling it come to life. His mind was in such a state of disarray that he didn't even bother asking her if it was indeed Chase she wanted to know about. He just began, stating out what he saw.

"Good gifts for Chase would be…" he didn't stop to look at Hikari, he just kept his eyes fixed on the crystal. His mind was on autopilot, he was barely registering what he was seeing and repeating to her. It wasn't until he read Chase's heart that he paused.

"Chase thinks you are pretty great…besides you, there is…someone?" he said, surprise evident in his voice. _What?! He likes someone else besides Hikari?! But he asked her on a date! How dare he…he's playing her. He doesn't care about her, he's just going to use her…_

The Wizard felt his blood begin to boil at these thoughts and had to stop himself from squeezing the crystal ball too hard, lest he shatter it by accident. He was going to kill Chase. He glanced up to see Hikari's reaction and saw her staring at him, eyebrow quirked and mouth ajar.

 _Oh, what've I done? I shouldn't have told Hikari that, she's probably heart broken. I'm so stupid!_ he cursed internally, looking away from her and gritting his teeth.

"Umm, cool, but I actually wanted to ask about Owen."

The Wizard's head snapped around and he stared at her. This time, it was his turn to be slack-jawed. "Wait…Owen? You want to know…about Owen?"

Hikari frowned and crossed her arms. "Yeah, is that a problem?"

The Wizard could've sworn his head was going to explode from how many thoughts were racing through it. "What about…Chase? Don't you…like…him?" he questioned.

Hikari snorted, uncrossing her arms and placing her hands on her hips. "You mean 'like-like' him? No. I mean, he's a sweet guy, but it's obvious he and Maya have the hots for each other. They're both just too stubborn to admit it."

The Wizard shook his head and frowned at her. "Yes, but you…went on a…date with him." he said, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Hikari made a face and laughed a little. "Yeah, but only because he kept pestering me about it. I had fun, don't get me wrong, but like I said, Maya's the one he should be with. And that's what I told him." She shrugged her shoulders. "He knew I was right and he admitted it, finally. He's just too arrogant to confess to her, so I'm helping them out." She smirked a little and said, "If all goes according to plan, they'll be married by the end of the year."

If it were possible, the Wizard's jaw would have been on the floor by now. He blinked several times at her, before finding his voice and asking, "So…you don't like Chase?".

Hikari laughed and shook her head, reaching across the small table to put a hand on his arm. "No, Wizard, I do not like Chase."

The Wizard felt like a weight had been lifted as the feeling that had been plaguing him left, but then it all came crashing back as he remembered what she'd said. He pulled away, frowning again. "Oh…so Owen then…".

Hikari seemed a little hurt by his distance, but the Wizard chose to ignore this, instead preparing himself for what he knew was coming. It wasn't Chase she had a crush on, it was Owen.

"Yeah, Owen. You can skip all the how he feels stuff. I just need to know what would be a good gift for him. His birthday is next week, after all."

The Wizard felt like he'd been slapped. He really could not figure this girl out. She just wanted to know gift ideas?

"So…a birthday present?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, that is generally part of birthdays."

"You don't…care how he…feels about you?"

Hikari shook her head again. "Nah, I don't need to, nor do I really care. Besides, he and Kathy have been going out for almost a season now."

"So…you don't…like him?" the Wizard asked, the feeling in his chest already lightening.

Hikari gave an exacerbated sigh and rolled her eyes. "No, I do not like Owen like that. I don't have a crush on Chase, or Owen, or any other guy except y-". She stopped and turned a deep shade of red, avoiding the Wizards eyes and rubbing her hands together nervously. However, the Wizard barely noticed her discomfort as he felt the strange feeling leave, along with all the tension he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Anyway," Hikari said, focusing on him again. "Why are you so curious? You've been acting really strange ever since I got here."

The Wizard raised his eyebrows and gave her a small smile. "Oh…no reason. Just trying to…gather…information."

Hikari narrowed her eyes and leaned over the table, so that their faces were inches apart. "Wizard…were you jealous?" she asked, searching his face.

The Wizard froze, realization hitting him. Jealousy. He had been jealous. The Wizard had very little use for emotions in his life, and found them to be quite trivial. It was very rare that he ever experienced an emotion, so of course he'd been unaware of what was going on inside him. This new knowledge and the relief at having figured out what had been going on made him smile and say almost to himself, "Yes…I think I was."

There was a moment of silence as both took in what he'd said. Hikari and the Wizard stared at each other, still so close the Wizard could make out the freckles on the bridge of Hikari's nose. Then he realized what he'd just admitted and what it implied, and _he_ was the one now turning a shade of red that would have rivaled that of the Red Bell. Hikari blushed and smiled softly, doing her best not to laugh at his obvious discomfort.

"Wizard…" she began, but the Wizard jumped back, frantically trying to correct his slip. "I-I mean…yes…that could be…I mean…that is what…what was occurring…I.." he stumbled, finally trailing off and bringing a hand up to cover his face. He was an idiot.

At this, Hikari could no longer contain her humor and burst out laughing. "Oh my gosh…Wiz…you should've seen your face!" she wheezed out, clutching her sides. The Wizard chuckled nervously, before catching her amusement and joining her in her laughter.

After a while, the laughter died down and they both managed to compose themselves.

"Um, right…so a gift…" the Wizard said awkwardly, going back over to the crystal ball and focusing his energy on it. After a moment, he smiled at Hikari and said, "A Buckwheat cocktail…should make a fine…birthday gift."

Hikari smiled back and nodded. "Got it. That should be easy."

They stood there awkwardly for several seconds before Hikari spoke up. "Well, I ah, better go. Lots to do before it gets dark."

The Wizard only nodded and watched as she gathered her things before coming back over to him. "Thanks for everything, Wizard. I appreciate your help." she smiled, blushing, and reached out and placed her hand on his arm again. This time instead of pulling back, he felt his heart rate speed up and a faint flush covered his cheeks. Hikari grinned and moved away, towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Yes…see you tomorrow." the Wizard murmured, waving goodbye as the door swung shut.

He stood there for another few minutes before walking over to his bed and flopping down. This girl…he'd gone several hundred years without experiencing so much as a single emotion, and in the span of a single afternoon, she'd made him feel more than he could tell. He drifted off, thinking about all that had transpired, a grin plastered on his face and his heart feeling more alive than ever.

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 **Sooo cheesy. But who doesn't like cheese, right? :p  
**


	5. Rain or Shine

**Okay, so I'm actually surprisingly pleased with how this one turned out. This was probably the most difficult to write for some reason. I just couldn't get the emotions and stuff to come across the way I wanted them to. Needless to say it went through several re-writes, but I'm happy with this version. Hopefully y'all like it too!**

 **MD7**

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The weather outside was a perfect mirror to the Wizard's mood at the moment. It had been raining nonstop on the small island for three days and the night before it had turned into a hurricane, bombarding the small island with torrential rain and strong winds.

Due to the weather, Hikari had stayed on her farm for the last few days, only going outside to tend to the animals in the barn and her crops. The Wizard understood her absence and didn't blame her; he would rather her stay home than risk catching a cold by being out in the rain, but he missed her. Four days without seeing her or talking to her had taken it's toll on him. On top of that, he hadn't been able to stargaze or take his nightly walks due to the weather, so he was in a rather foul mood.

Sighing, he turned away from the window, deciding to at least try to occupy his mind. Lately he hadn't been able to concentrate on much, as thoughts of a certain farmer continuously plagued him. It seemed like one minute this strange girl was asking for his help with the Witch, and the next he was looking forward to her daily visits and spending quite a considerable amount of time with her.

It took him awhile to admit his feelings for her to himself, much less to Hikari, but every since then, they'd been growing steadily closer. She visited him every day, bringing coffee and sometimes staying for a while to talk, and he'd asked her out on a few dates, which had turned out better than he had anticipated. He wasn't exactly sure what their relationship was or where it was going, but he did know that being separated from her for this long was torture.

Resigning himself to this misery until the weather improved, he sat down at his desk, picking up his book and absentmindedly flipping through it. Rain continued to beat down onto the roof of the house, lulling him into a daze, when a sudden flurry of knocking jolted him out of his chair.

Crossing over to the door, he peered through the window. Letting out a small gasp, he opened it to reveal Hikari, hunched over and shivering from the wind and rain but nonetheless smiling. "H-hey, Wizard! Can I come in?" she asked, hurrying inside when he nodded.

The Wizard could only stare at her for a while, mouth agape. Hikari flashed him a bright smile before she began to remove her wet outer garments. Watching her standing there, soaking wet and struggling with her boots, the Wizard finally found his voice. "H-hikari?! What on Earth are you doing here? _How_ did you get here?" he sputtered, gesturing indistinctly in her direction.

Hikari paused in her attempt to take off her boots and looked up at him. "Oh, I walked. It's not too far, but I didn't want to risk getting my horse sick by riding her here, you know?" she smiled again and turned to rummage in her bag for a minute. "As for what I'm doing here, what do you think?" She pulled a thermos of coffee out and held it out for him.

The Wizard took it numbly, his face still a picture of shock. "You didn't want to get your horse sick…". He turned sharply, setting the coffee down, and when he turned back to face her, a frown was etched onto his face, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hikari, are you out of your mind? You didn't want to risk your horse's health, but you'd risk your own? Just to bring me some coffee? You could get sick from being out in this weather! Or worse, you could have gotten hurt coming here! It's dangerous out there! Why would you do something so stupid?"

Hikari, having successfully removed her boots, looked up in surprise at him. The Wizard couldn't help noticing the hurt that passed over her face, but it was soon replaced by a look of surprise. "Well, first off, yes, I'd rather risk my own health than my animals. It's what farmers do. Secondly, I'm fine, I've gone out in storms like this before." This earned a groan and a shake of the head from the Wizard.

Hikari frowned and crossed her arms. "Also, I did it because I wanted to see you. If you want me to go, though…" she trailed off softly, the hurt returning to her face as she reached for her discarded articles of clothing.

The Wizard's head snapped up and he involuntarily reached out. "No! Er, I mean…no, please don't go. It…it's still bad out there. I wouldn't want you going back out in it already." he murmured, trying to force down the blush he felt creeping up his cheeks. "Please, stay."

Hikari paused, slowly withdrawing her arm from her coat, and nodded. "Okay." she said, a faint smile touching her lips. Suddenly she shivered, reflexively wrapping her arms around herself.

"Oh, here…" the Wizard said, moving to his dresser to grab a towel. He paused as a thought occurred to him.

Glancing back at Hikari, he blushed and looked back at the dresser, battling with himself in his mind. Finally he sighed, and grabbed an extra pair of trousers and a shirt. Crossing back over to her, he handed her the towel and clothes, avoiding eye contact as he mumbled, "Here, use this to try off, and then you can change into these so you don't get sick…".

Hikari took the towel and clothes after a moment's hesitation, and then looked up at him and smiled warmly. "Thanks, Wizard."

The Wizard merely nodded, quickly turning his back and crossing over to his desk, trying desperately to ignore the sound of Hikari undressing behind him.

After a short time, he heard Hikari speak up. "Umm, okay, I'm good. You can turn around."

The Wizard turned around and was sure that if his face could've gotten anymore red, it would have. Hikari stood there, hair still slightly wet and fastening her own belt around the waist of the pants to keep them up.

 _Even after being out in a hurricane and wearing clothes too big for her, she still looks perfect._ he thought, staring in wonder at her.

Hikari glanced up and noticed him staring and gave him a sheepish smile. "Well, how do I look?" she asked, holding out her arms and spinning around once.

"Beautiful…" he murmured, a small smile touching his lips. Hikari stopped and looked at him, a faint blush tinting her cheeks, before she looked away. "Uh, what should I do with these?" she asked, motioning to the wet clothes and towel on the floor.

"Oh, here…" the Wizard trailed off, grabbing a large bowl from his shelf and walking over and placing it in the middle of the floor. He muttered a quick incantation and bright orange flames suddenly burst to life inside the bowl. Hikari watched in amazement, mouth hanging open.

"Lay the clothes next to the fire and they should be dry soon." He looked over at her and smiled. "I'm sure this will help with any cold you might still be feeling as well."

Hikari stared at him before breaking into a laugh. Placing her hands on her hips, she regarded him and shook her head. "You really are something else, Wiz.".

While Hikari laid her clothes out to dry, the Wizard cracked one of the windows just enough to allow the smoke from the fire to exit, and then crossed over to where Hikari sat by the fire, sitting down beside her.

They sat like that for several minutes in silence, the Wizard every now and then glancing over at her profile. She had her knees drawn up and her chin resting on them, gazing at the fire. The light flickered on her face and made her brown eyes dance. He looked back at the fire and swallowed. This shouldn't be this hard, but then again, words were never his strong suit. Sighing, he finally turned his face towards her. "Hikari?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to snap at you…I was just very concerned. It scared me that you'd put yourself in danger like that just to come see me. I-I just didn't want something to happen to you…" he trailed off, averting his eyes back to the fire. Expressing his feelings was still new to him, and it wasn't easy to say things like this to Hikari, when he knew at any moment she could get up, reject him, and walk out.

However, when he glanced back over at her, he saw that she was smiling softly at him, studying his face with intent eyes.

"It's okay. I'm not mad. I was a little surprised, and a little hurt because I thought you didn't want me here, but I understand where you're coming from. I forgive you." she reached out and laid her hand over his, gently squeezing it. The Wizard felt heat rush to his face, and stared at their hands for a while before looking back up at her and smiling. "Thank you. Just promise you won't put yourself at risk for me again, okay?"

Hikari chuckled and inched a little closer. "Well, that might be tough to promise. I've always had a knack for disregarding my own well being when it comes to other people. Especially people I care about." she looked meaningfully at him and the Wizard felt his heart speed up. Here they were, hands touching, sitting only inches apart, and the storm outside showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. He gazed down into her face and could feel himself slowly moving forward, drawn to her. He closed his eyes and could feel her warm breath ghost over his lips. All he had to do was close the distance…

 ** _BOOM!_**

The Wizard's eyes snapped open and Hikari sprang back with a small shriek of surprise.

The room was suddenly illuminated by a flash of lightning, followed by another thunderclap over head. The Wizard closed his eyes and sighed. He really hated storms. More than ever. Hikari chuckled nervously and scooted back next to him. "Wow. That was a big one, huh?"

The Wizard opened his eyes and smiled down at her. "Yes. Wasn't expecting that.".

Hikari laughed and they fell into companionable silence, staring at the fire. They passed the time talking about the island and about their lives, every now and then playing a game of some sort.

Before long, Hikari's clothes were dry and to the Wizard's amazement and disappointment, the storm outside had actually calmed.

While the Wizard put out the fire, Hikari quickly changed and handed him his clothes. "Thanks again for everything. I had a really nice time." Hikari said as she stepped out the door onto the wet pavement.

"Me too. It was good to see you and spend time with you." The Wizard said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I missed you.".

Hikari beamed and made to turn and go before pausing. She turned back, a thoughtful look on her face. "Yes…?" the Wizard asked, slightly unnerved by the look she was giving him.

Hikari grinned and quickly closed the space between them, stretching up on her toes to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. She moved back, smiling at him.

For the second time that day, the Wizard found himself staring at her with his mouth hanging open, speechless. Hikari turned and moved off in the direction of the Church Grounds. "See you tomorrow, Wizard!" she called, waving and grinning.

The Wizard snapped himself out of it and waved back, a smile forming his lips and a blush heating his cheeks for the hundredth time that day. He paused as he remembered and stepped inside to grab something before darting back out.

"Hikari!" he called, catching her attention before she was out of sight. Turning, she looked at him in question. The Wizard held up the thermos of long forgotten, now cold coffee, and grinned. "Thanks for the coffee."

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 **Yay, fluff! Hehe, this chapter just made me grin while I was writing it. :D**


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